Kingfisher shows well at Arundel WWT

Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus

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On Wednesday morning we had the final conservation work party at Heyshott this year. Neil, Mark and Katrina joined me and we enjoyed Murray Downland Trust hospitality with mulled wine, mince pies and sausages. Afterwards I visited the Arundel WWT. I went again yesterday when the sky was blue and the light good. There were many species of wildfowl and other birds in the reserve: Black-headed Gull, Blue Tip, Canada Geese, Common Pochard, Common Snipe, Coots, Cormorant, Gadwall, Lapwing, Mallard, Moorhens, Mute Swans, Shelducks, Shovelers, Song Thrush, Teal, Tufted duck, Wigeon. A Buzzard overhead flew overhead yesterday and I saw a Kingfisher four times. I also spotted clumps of Oyster Mushrooms for the first time.

Heyshott work party:

Katrina feeding the fire

the area we cleared

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus

Common Pochard, Aythya Ferina

female Gadwall, Anas strepera

male Gadwall, Anas strepera

Lapwings (Peewits), Vanellus vanellus

Mallards, Anas platyrhynchos

Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus and Coots, Fulica atra

One Coot swam aggressively over to the Moorhen, which was feeding on the bank. There was a stand-off, then the second Coot came over and joined in. The Moorhen stood tall. The Coots then swam off, probably whistling as if they didn't know what all the fuss was about.

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor

Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus

Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus

Shelduck, Tadorna tadorna

Shovelers, Anas clypeata

Teal, Anas crecca

Teal, Anas crecca

male Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula

female Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula

Wigeon, Anas penelope

Wigeon, Anas penelope

Buzzard, Buteo buteo

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis

Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago

Four Snipe flew from another island to this one.

Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo

Five Cormorants dried themselves on the island

Gadwall, Anas strepera

Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

spot the Kingfisher in flight

Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

Lapwing (Peewit), Vanellus vanellus

Lapwing (Peewit), Vanellus vanellus

Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos

Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor

Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos

female Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula